BNI Weekly News - December 1, 2003
Fund to rebuilt the destroyed Mosque
TTBT concludes six-month-long teachers training
Ethnic Karen Women mark delayed “Violence against women day”
Burmese Leather Doing Well in Bangladeshi Market
Burma-Bangladeshi border security commanders have urgent meeting
Tariff for small-time traders abolished
Abducted Burmese trader rescued by Bangladesh police
Maung Daw Nasaka tells local Nasaka authorities to stop the use of forced labour
Mosques in Maung Daw under guard during prayers in Ramadan
The Mountain of Vengeance
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Fund to rebuilt the destroyed Mosque
1 December 2003:
People who have access to Satellite Television in Sittwe (Akyab) have been
made to pay 20,000 kyat each, through a decree made by the chief of Arakan
State Peace and Development Council (Pa Ya Ka), the commander of the Western
command, General Maung Oo, according to a Satellite owner of Sittwe.
However, the real intention to rebuild a mosque is not revealed to the
people who think that the money is collected as the charge for satellite
communication use.
The Mosque was destroyed by the order of General Maung Oo on July 21st, but
the Muslim leaders complained to then the Secretary General (1) of the junta
General Khin Nyunt (now the Prime Minister). General Khin Nyunt ordered the
Western Commander to rebuild a new mosque and personally take charge of the
building.
Since there were not enough funds, General Maung Oo approached the Chief of
police, Win Kyi, but the police refused to cooperate with him. As the
result, there was a big fall out between the two chiefs, the same official
says, quoting the sources closed to the State administration.
To solve this urgent need of money, Maung Oo collected from Arakanese
people. The Buddhist Arakanese would not pay if the money was for the
Mosque, hence it is collected as the charge for the usage.
The Mosque was demolished since it was too close to the Sittwe University.
During the demolition, the police and the Muslims had a violent clash,
resulting in at least ten people being arrested and some police getting
hurt. #
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TTBT concludes six-month-long teachers training.
New teaching techniques rather than by-heart learning introduced
29 November 2003:
Teachers Training for Burmese Teachers (TTBT) in exile has concluded
six-month-long teachers' training in Chiang Mai and new teaching method,
student-centered which prioritizing the student’s ability to analyze, was
introduced as a break through from traditional by-heart learning techniques.
The teachers' training was attended by the total of 25 participants, nine
teachers who were currently serving as teachers at border schools on
Thai-Burma border and 16 who had completed their basic education.
Suitable teaching techniques "for all" by recognizing different abilities of
students from various backgrounds were discussed in the training, Dr Thein
Lwin who organized the training on new teaching techniques said.
In the graduation ceremony, Dr Thein Lwin, who got PhD from Newcastle,
England, said “In Burma, if a student can memorize by-heart on the given
lecture and good at Maths, he/she is entitle to good grade by tradition.
Schools in Burma don't acknowledge other abilities of students and that’s
why most of the students who have such kind of potentials could not enjoy
their schools and finally they dropped out from schools. In this training,
we encourage and train our teachers to acknowledge the abilities of students
from different backgrounds and let them enjoy their schoolings.”
In the training, the participants were taught Burmese, English, Mathematics,
Geography, History along with other compulsory subjects as such Basic
Computer, Librarianship and Thesis Writing.
The participants were introduced the teacher’s role as to facilitate the
learning process of students and accessing the ability of students by means
of analyzing and practicing the facts that they have learnt while not only
to get higher marks through by-heart learning.
Asking when the prospects of these new teaching techniques will be
successful, one Karen teacher participated in the training Naw Dae Nyar Phaw
said “I believe this new teaching technique will be successful. What I mean
success is the students will have critical thinking when the teacher’s role
is to facilitate and guide on their knowledge. And, they will have more idea
and critical thinking.”
Dr Thein Lwin who completed his PhD in Education from Newcastle University
along with four other Burmese professional teachers in Education was the
trainer of this training.#
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Ethnic Karen Women mark delayed “Violence against women day”
28 November 2003:
Though international community had already celebrated “Violence against
Women Day” on 25th November, ethnic Karen women in Mae La refugee camp were
not allowed to hold on that day by Thai authority. Instead of November 25,
Karen women in Mae La Karen refugee camp celebrates today after getting
permission, said Nan Moe Hnin Thwae, secretary of Pa-an district Karen Women
Organization (KWO).
On November 25, refugee camp leaders sent a request to hold “Violence
against Women Day” in the camp but their request was turn down by Thai
authorities. Again, camp authorities tried to contact and appeal Parasu Nai,
a Thai authority who is responsible for the activities in refugee camp after
they failed to get permission.
“We went to see Parasu Nai but he was not available. Though we went to see
him, we could not meet him. The camp authorities could not hold it because
they were yet to get permission from Thai authorities. Finally, we were
informed to postpone from 25 to 28 November because November 25 is the
religious day of Muslims, Id. That’s why we can only hold on November 28,”
Nan Moe Hnin Thwae explained.
She added that KWO got permission to hold this day with the help of UNHCR
office in Mae Sot.
Parasu Nai also addressed the celebration by apologizing his lateness due to
tight schedules.
Nan Moe Hnin Thwae said it was the first time in Mae La to hold “Violence
against Women Day” and the leaders who attended the celebration delivered
relevant topics relating to this day were very satisfactory though there
were some difficulties to organize this day.#
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Burmese Leather Doing Well in Bangladeshi Market
28 November 2003:
Burmese leather is a hot item in Bangladesh’s border markets, according to
our reporter from the border area.
The trading of leather is illegal, but it forms part of the booming black
market that exists in the Burma-Bangladeshi border region.
A piece of cow leather is priced between 300 and 400 taka in Burma, while in
Teknaf it is priced between 600 and 700 taka, and between 1,000 and 1,100
taka in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.
The reason for the price differences between the two countries is the
greater mechanisation of Bangladesh’s industries, which leads to a higher
demand for raw materials. Hence, raw materials, including leather are
flowing into Bangladesh through the smuggling sea route.
The smuggled leather is made from Cow, Buffalo, and goat hides.
Burmese smugglers prefer leather because it is less perishable, and it
attracts fewer bribes from Burmese officials. Apart from the leather,
highly priced timber, bamboo, fish, prawn, salt, rice and even cow dung are
smuggled into Bangladesh from Burma. #
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Burma-Bangladeshi border security commanders have urgent meeting
27 November 2003:
It was reported that the Burma-Bangladeshi border security commanders held a
meeting near the 50th pillar border demarcation line on the 15th of
November.
Five delegates, led by Major Tun Lunn Aung, in charge of Bandula Camp,
represented Burma. Major Mahamad Soryu and five subordinates represented
Bangladesh, the report said.
The meeting revealed that Burmese Insurgents’ activities arise from bases
within Bangladeshi territory. An interpreter present at the meeting
revealed to Narinjara that the Burmese delegates urged the Bangladeshi
delegation to persuade the Bangladeshi government to stop the insurgents
from basing themselves in Bangladesh.
The Bangladeshi team denied the allegation that the Bangladeshi government
turned a blind eye to Burmese insurgents in Bangladesh territory. Since
August, continuous operations have been executed against Burmese insurgents
in Bangladesh territory and they have been driven out.
The Bangladeshi army has been mounting operations so that the insurgents
could not get a foothold on Bangladeshi soil. On 28 August, and the 6th of
November, the Arakan Army under the National United party of Arakan and the
ARNO Headquarters were raided and destroyed, it was reported.
It was also reported that the Bangladeshi Army launched a surprise attack on
an armed group led by the Democratic Party of Arakan and that one DPA member
was killed while arms and ammunitions were captured on August 25.
Some analysts said that for many years the Bangladeshi government has been
turning a blind eye to the activities of multicolour Burmese insurgents on
its soil, but from this year the Bangladeshi government’s military action
against the Burmese insurgents has shown that the relations between the two
countries are improving. A failure by the Bangladeshi government in
addressing the issue of Burmese insurgents can cause real damage to the
prestige of the Bangladeshi government, which is increasingly dependent upon
economic cooperation with Burma. As a result, Burmese insurgents are being
driven out.
There are many parties that are basing themselves along the Burma Bangladesh
border to implement their purpose of achieving self-determination and equal
political rights. These parties are NUPA, DPA, ALP,CNF, ARNO and the RSO. #
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Tariff for small-time traders abolished
26 November 2003:
The Border Trade Authority of Burma (Na Ka Tha) has abolished tariffs for
small-time traders involved in border trade as these tariffs were not in
accordance with the Authority’s procedures.
The small time traders used to pay 2.5 percent tariff to the Border Trade
Authority. Following the order, issued on October 22, these traders can now
engage freely in trade across the Burma-Bangladesh border.
A Maung Daw trader, who frequently travels to Teknaf in Bangladesh, told
Narinjara that “the Authority used to charge Kyat 10 as tariff charge for a
piece of Longyi (the Burmese sarong). And for a pack of Tha Nat Khar
(Burmese toiletry) worth Kyat 4,000, they used to charge Kyat 100. Following
the Authority’s order we can earn more money”.
Burma exports clothing, spices, toiletries, slippers, Burmese traditional
medicines, handicrafts, crafts and sculptures, etc to Bangladesh.
The Authority used to earn hundreds of thousands of Kyats from 2.5 percent
tariffs on small-scale trading. However, the money did not go to the central
treasury as it was used in the border areas by the local authority. Hence,
there have been differences among the government departments over the
budget. #
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Abducted Burmese trader rescued by Bangladesh police
25 November 2003:
A Burmese trader, abducted by Bangladeshi miscreants from Teknaf town, was
rescued by Cox’s Bazar Police after spending 68 days in captivity.
According to Cox’s Bazar-based Bangla daily Ajker Bideah Desh’s report on
November 10, a Burmese prawn trader, abducted by Bangladeshi miscreants at
Nila on September 3, was rescued by Bangladesh BDR and Police from Nila Para
on November 9 following a tip-off from local people.
The miscreants had demanded a ransom of Taka 200,000 from the parents of the
trader, who reside in Maungdaw, Burma.
Arlung, at whose residence the trader was detained, has been arrested. Seven
more persons, who were involved in the incident have also been detained by
the police. #
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Maung Daw Nasaka tells local Nasaka authorities to stop the use of forced
labour
25 November 2003:
Following reports of forced labour in Maung Daw and Bu Thee Daung townships
by local Nasaka authorities, the Maung Daw Nasaka (Burmese Border Authority)
has asked the former to stop the use of forced labour, a town police
official told our correspondent.
The order came after an UNHCR official complained to the Nasaka Regional
commander Major Ran Naing Soe that the local authorities had been exploiting
adolescents and students from the region through forced labour.
The order urged the authorities not to use the local population as forced
labour from November 14. In case they are used as labour, that too by
payment of paying charges, then a photographic record should be maintained
in such cases.
Throughout Arakan state, the local authority uses civilians to build
barracks, roads, vehicles (including military hardware), and even tilling
the military-owned rice paddies.
A local headman told our correspondent that the local Nasaka based in Taung
Ba Zar village, Bu The Daung town, uses high school students as forced
labour. #
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Mosques in Maung Daw under guard during prayers in Ramadan
24 November 2003:
Mosques in Maungdaw town were placed under heavy police vigil during prayers
following attacks on some mosques during Ramadan, the holy Muslim month of
fasting, according to our correspondent.
Police mounted vigil following torching of a mosque on November 9. The
incident occurred at around 2000 hrs when Muslims were praying in the No: 5
quarter mosque here. A group of Rakhine youths backed by some policemen
torched the mosque and a religious school attached to it. While the school
was partly burnt down, the mosque was saved, the correspondent said.
In the same week, two other thatch-roofed mosques, in the outskirts of
Maungdaw, were set on fire by the unruly Rakhaing youths. Both the mosques
were, however, saved from getting damaged, a trader not willing to identify
himself said.
The town people believe that the incidents are an attempt by the ruling
junta’s SPDC to engineer communal riot between Rohingya and Rakhaing
communities in Arakan.
However, with the efforts of Rohingya and Rakhaing leaders in Maungdaw, the
tense situation following the incidents was controlled, he further added.
When the matter was brought to the Township Peace and Development Council
(TPDC) Chairman Captain Hla Po, he assured the Muslims that the arsonists
would be punished. But till now no arrests have been made, said another
trader. Even Maungdaw District PDC Chairman Lt. Col. Soe Htwee and Military
Intelligence Officer Major Thant Zin assured the Rohingya leaders of serious
action against the culprits. But no measures have been taken since.
“Burma has had a bad record of religious violence. The plan to ablaze the
mosques was a blatant violation of citizens’ right to have freedom in
religious matters. It will also spoil the country’s image and send worrying
signals to the outside world,” said a veteran politician here. #
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The Mountain of Vengeance
By Aung Naing Oo
30 November 2003:
“See that mountain over there?” said Major Gabar Sein pointing to a
mountain, its slanting slope shrouded in the morning mist. It was less than
a kilometer north from the checkpoint he commanded by the mountain pass.
“It’s called ‘Makyaynat Taung’, the Mountain of Vengeance,” continued the
old Karen officer as his assistant registered our names. “You should know
about it.”
“That’s where many Karen villagers were shot dead by a Burmese army patrol.
Then the patrol commander committed an unspeakable act; he raped a village
woman in front of her family. In the process, he ripped the helpless woman’s
abdomen apart to see how far his sex had reached inside her. It was
heinous.”
“We would not have known the details had some villagers not been able to
escape from the carnage. Later, the people in the area renamed the mountain
‘the Mountain of Vengeance’ after the inhuman assault on the villagers. I am
glad that I have this opportunity to tell you this. It was brutal, but I am
now happy to know that you, the Burman youth, are joining us to fight for
justice. You will not regret it.”
I was speechless. So were my colleagues. For all of us, who had just fled
Burma proper following the failed 1988 uprising, it was a rude awakening.
Burma was at war with itself and we were not unfamiliar with stories of such
kinds. However, we were totally unprepared for the graphic details and
extent of such an extreme atrocity. Dumfounded, we failed to offer our
sympathy to Major Gabar Sein.
Quietly we continued our journey towards the liberated area near the
Thai-Burma border. As we left the checkpoint, I realized that the joy we had
had in savoring our first freedom away from the military dragnet had
disappeared. The story lingered on. In our journey towards liberation, I
pictured the mayhem in my mind’s eye; helpless villagers pleading for mercy,
the poor woman being violated and at the same time feeling intense shame and
extreme vulnerability, and the Burmese soldiers shouting abuses and
committing ruthless acts.
I imagined the old freedom fighter telling the same tragedy to the traffic
of Burmese students who passed through his checkpoint, and the Burmese
students reacting the same way we had. I imagined some of the students, like
me, would carry feelings of guilt for the atrocities the Burmese soldiers
committed – since we belonged to the country’s Burman majority.
This story and many other violations of a malefic nature introduced a great
number of Burmese students and others who joined the exodus of 1988 to the
Burmese jungles, myself included, to the realities and tragedies of the
civil war that began on the eve of Burma’s independence from Britain in
1948. Tragically however, the fighting has not ended after more than half a
century. The hostilities continue to claim many more lives. In all these
years, many of us have carried stories of abuses and sufferings – both
personal and interpersonal.
Now more than 15 years later, I can still recall the poignant face of the
old Karen officer, gazing towards the mountain and revisiting the brutal
past in his mind. I do not know if he is still alive, but I am certain that
the justice he wanted for his people on the Mountain of Vengeance has not
yet been achieved. In fact, it seems a long way off.
“While democratic compromise produces solutions regarding issues in
conflict, reconciliation addresses the relationships between those who will
have to implement those solutions,” hypothesizes the policy summary of
“Reconciliation After Violent Conflict” published by the Sweden-based
International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance
(International IDEA).
This is very true, but where are we today in Burma? We are not even close to
making compromises, let along paying attention to the relationships between
those who would implement the agreements. The truth is that given the
prevailing political trend in the country the prospect for genuine
reconciliation appears very slim. Though no reconciliation process is easy,
the one that we will face in Burma will be enormously daunting.
“Where transition results from jointly negotiated action, it may be possible
to develop a process though negotiation between equals,” writes the
International IDEA in the same policy summary. Will the possible outcome of
the National Convention and the constitution – the very first steps of the
military’s proposed roadmap for democracy – produce a negotiation between
equals? Shall we see a negotiated transition, which may encourage a genuine
reconciliation process? Very unlikely.
Realistically, it looks as if our fate has been sealed because we all know
where these very steps will lead us. Yet some of us may accept a lop-sided
outcome of the Convention out of desperation. Some others will bow out of
the struggle. And still others may take drastic measures. Yet some of us
will continue to try to figure out realistic ways to achieve some form of
reconciliation in Burma. Others may lick their wounds, like a defeated
army, and regroup.
One thing is for certain – our memories of suffering will not go away. They
will continue to cast a spell on our future, our way of thinking and on the
decision-making process. And they will loom large over future prospects of
reconciliation in Burma. They will come into conflict with our
understanding of political realities.
As in many other conflicts, if there are any negotiations in the future, it
is likely to be between political elites. Only when the political dust
settles can the efforts at reconciliation among all disparate groups –
victims and perpetrators included - commence. In the meantime, Major Gabar
Sein and his people, many of whom are lost souls wandering over the Mountain
of Vengeance, will have to wait a long time for justice - justice that may
never be realized.#
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Burma News International (BNI) is a network of six Independent Burma Media
organizations: The Mizzima News, The Narinjara News, the Kaladan Press
Network, the Khonumthung News Group, the Network Media Group and the
Independent Mon News Agency. #